Skip to content or view screen version

Scotsman Reports Bans Requested For G8 Protest in Derby on 17th March

M hor | 16.03.2005 07:43 | G8 2005 | Ecology | Globalisation | Repression | London

The Scotsman in a PA news article has reported that police and councillors in Derbyshire have requested bans on G8 demonstrations which are planned for tomorrow - thursday 17th march - alongside G8 Environment and Development Ministers meeting. Home Secretary Charles Clarke will today consider meansures to be imposed.

Below the article is reproduced for note:

Clarke May Crack Down on 'Challenge Anneky' Summit Protest
The Scotsman
Tue 15 Mar 2005 10:52am (UK)
By David Stringer, PA
 http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4257668

Home Secretary Charles Clarke is today expected to approve a security crackdown on protesters aiming to bring chaos to a rural village where Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett will host an international summit.

Police and councillors in Derbyshire have requested bans on demonstrations in four locations amid fears an anarchist group will use the meeting as a warm-up for disruption of the G8 conference in Gleneagles, Scotland, in July.

Officers have already calculated policing the talks in Derbyshire, at which G8 environment and development ministers will meet senior officials from the United Nations and the World Bank, will cost around £2 million.

The Dissent protest group has called on supporters to gather in Derby on Thursday, the day of the meeting, before marching across the city and through local villages to the Breadsall Priory Hotel, where the delegates will hold their talks.

It has arranged a Challenge Anneky day, themed on Anneka Rice’s TV show, and is offering spoof prizes to anyone who hurls a pie at a G8 minister, or plants a skull-and-crossbones flag in the 18th hole of Breadsall’s golf course.

A meeting of Derby City Council’s cabinet has called on Mr Clarke to approve special measures to counter the threat, including a ban on marches through the city centre from noon today until noon on Saturday.

Council leader Maurice Burgess said: “Police intelligence suggests there could be trouble and disruption if the protesters were allowed to leave the Market Place and process through the city and up to Breadsall Priory.

“We want to avoid that and enable the protesters to have their say peacefully. This is the first time we have had to seek such an order and have not taken this decision lightly.”

A protest will be allowed in the city’s Market Place, but with a limit of 3,000 people.

Police said fewer than 500 activists were expected to attend.

Neighbouring Erewash Borough Council has also asked for a ban on protests and gatherings in three villages surrounding the summit site, Little Eaton, Morley and Breadsall.

A Home Office spokesman said the requests are being considered today.

Prime Minister Tony Blair will host George Bush, Vladimir Putin and fellow G8 leaders in Gleneagles from July 6 to 8.

-------------

See also article in The Herrald about a crackdown on persistent criminal offenders ahead of the G8 Summit in July:
 http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/35225.html

M hor

Comments

Hide the following 14 comments

G8 environment coverage refs

16.03.2005 09:05

Couple of Guargian references worth checking:

US tries to sink forests plan
British initiative on illegal logging opposed
Paul Brown and Roger Harrabin
Wednesday March 16, 2005
The Guardian
The US plans to wreck a British initiative to commit the G8 states to combatting illegal logging in the world's threatened rainforests, a leaked memorandum revealed last night.
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,13369,1438522,00.html

Brown says green is good for growth
Matthew Tempest, political correspondent
Tuesday March 15, 2005
 http://politics.guardian.co.uk/economics/story/0,11268,1438279,00.html

mhor


also on bbc

16.03.2005 09:12

there are also articles on the bbc website in relation to this


 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/4348429.stm


 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/4353107.stm

seems they don't want us to move around at all, could be interesting tomorrow.

james


Ban and restrictions approved by Home Secretary!

16.03.2005 09:50

They were approved yesterday.

Under the Public order Act 1986 marches through Derby city centre are banned. There is also a ban on trespassary assemblies in the parishes of Long Eaton, Breadsall and Morley.

A protest will be allowed in the city’s Market Place, under the banning order is not permitted to move from that position.

If this is for a critical mass and street party demo, what willthey do for the actual G8 Summit in July? It seems to be that civil liberties are going to come under significant attack.


Update


More links

16.03.2005 09:52

Clarke Approves Crackdown on 'Challenge Anneky' Summit Protest
Tue 15 Mar 2005
 http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4258155

-


Reasons for restrictions and legal challenge?

16.03.2005 13:01

Anybody/ Any group able to legally challenge that decision?
What reasons are given to restrict the right to demonstrate?

There must be very endangering reasons for restrictions on the right
of freedom of opinon and freedom to assembly and to demonstrate.

It would be good if people - alternative journalists, local politicians and grassroot groups and initiatives for for human rights, democratic rights and constitutional rights start digging a bit and to put pressure on the authorities- though I am fearing that the left movement in Britain is actually more a bad big mouthed comedy show trying to appeal to the public by whinging along than rather actually able to do something constructively and fight to defend and ensure their future and basic rights.

ruppo


Section 12 / 14 - Public Order Act 1986?

16.03.2005 13:22

Many protests in the past have had Section 12 and 14 imposed upon them. Section 12 deals with "Public Processions" and Section 14 with "Public Assemblies" - often used to specify a place where a protest can take place.

You can see info and FAQ on these here:
 http://www.freebeagles.org/articles/sec14comment.html

These conditions can be impossed by a senior police officer.

With regard to the G8 protests the reports say that the measures have been approved by the home secretary - so anyone know what the specific measures are?

legal question


Plans the same

16.03.2005 13:46

Hi eveyone,
The plan is still the same the more the better, we don't see why Derby City Council have gone and poked there nose in on this but maybe its because they are Labour controled and its a labour Mp hosting the Summit at Breadsall, Derby. What a way to try and gag the voice of the public.

The Party is Still on!

Dissent here


missile throwing?

16.03.2005 14:25

hmmm... go to the second bbc link listed above and you find a brief article divided into two paragraphs, the second of which is entitled 'Missile throwing' but has +nothing+ to do with anything of the sort.

now if i was cynical i'd say that was incitement of police oppression...

media watcher


complain

16.03.2005 15:48

complain to the BBC about this, i've just done that, they'll usually change it. i complained about the general scaremongering tone as well, a school is being closed because of a fear for children's safety because of expected protests. WTF?

anarchoteapot


Schools To Close Over G8 Protestor Fears

16.03.2005 16:19


Here's another from the Derby Evening Telegraph ( yep its part of the same group of bullshit papers )

"16 March 2005

Fears that protesters may disrupt the G8 summit in Breadsall tomorrow and on Friday have led to two schools and a playgroup closing their doors for both days.

Parents of more than 200 children have unexpectedly been forced to find alternative childcare provision, after staff at Breadsall C of E Primary School and Morley Primary School, as well as Breadsall Playgroup, decided to close.

A belief by Derbyshire police that at least one group intends to commit public order offences in the area near to the Breadsall Priory Hotel, in Moor Road, Morley, has led to the closure decision by Gail Goodman, head teacher of Breadsall C of E Primary.

The summit, a meeting of international development and environment ministers, has already led Derby City Council to obtain permission from Home Secretary Charles Clarke to invoke section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986, which bans public procession.

Mrs Goodman said: "I know that not all parents are happy with this decision but I had to take into account the safety of the pupils at this school, some of whom are only four years old.

"If we had decided to remain open and something serious happens, then it would be tragic. By closing at least we eliminate danger.

"Pupils have been given work to do and teachers will be working on pupil assessments."

Morley Primary, in Mansfield Road, is to remain closed because of fears that protesters could gather at the Three Horseshoes public house, which is opposite the school, where parents park their cars to drop off their children.

Little Eaton Primary School is to remain open. "


What is the 'belief' of the Derbyshire Police Force. Would this involve more 'baby eating anarchists'. Fuckwits!

Write to the editor and tell him what you think....













derby evening telegraph
mail e-mail: typical_scaremonger_tactics@ukgov.org
- Homepage: http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk


Info on Banning Orders + Policing inc Road Closures

16.03.2005 20:52

Report on Information from Derbyshire police website ( http://www.derbyshire.police.uk)

From Thursday March 17th to Saturday March 19th 2005, Derbyshire is hosting an international conference of Government Environment and Development Ministers. This will be held at Marriott Breadsall Priory Hotel - the hotel is closed to the public during the event.

Police have leafleted homes in the local area and have toured the area with a mobile police station unit. As a result of notifications at least two schools are closing for the day - which I think could easily be classified as 'serious disruption to the community'.

The police website says the critical mass cyclists are expected to meet at the train station at 10am and ride towards the market place. The website also says that local traffic disruption is expected, including congestion "in and around the entrance to the station between 10am and noon" - which could be interpreted as police plans to hold people at the station until the start of the authorised protest at midday - now maybe that's being paranoid because the marches or 'processions' are banned from midday thursday until midday saturday, but I think a little paranoia is allowed in this situation!

Info on the police website continues - "Barriers will be erected around a designated protest zone in the Market Place and the city council will be providing stewards for the area between 10am and 3pm" (the times the protest is authorised for).


ROAD CLOSURES:

The following roads will be closed between Wednesday March 16th to Saturday March 19th:

- Rectory Lane
- Moor Road next to Brick Kiln Lane junction
- Quarry Road
- Morley Lane

Arrangements are in place for those residents who live beyond the roadblocks to gain access.


LEGISLATION BANNING MARCHES AND TRESPASSORY ASSEMBLIES:

The Derbyshire Constabulary, in conjunction with Erewash Borough Council and Derby City Council, has invoked sections of the Public Order Act 1986 to limit access to the Marriott Breadsall Priory and contain demonstrations and protests within specified areas of Derby during the G8 conference.

Section 13 of the act has been used to prohibit public processions throughout the city of Derby between 12 noon on Tuesday 15th March and 12 noon on Saturday 19th March.

Section 13 has been invoked because the police say that Section 12 would "not be sufficient to prevent the holding of public processions in the city of Derby from resulting in serious public disorder".

Section 14 of the act allows the police to designate an area of public assembly. This notice allows up to 3,000 people to gather on the Market Place in Derby between 10am and 3pm on Thursday 17th March.

Section 14a has been invoked to prevent trespassory assemblies in the parishes of Breadsall, Little Eaton and Morley (a massive area around Breadsall Priory Hotel where the G8 meeting is being held) between 12 noon on Tuesday 15th March and 12 noon on Saturday 19th March. This part of the act prevents anyone trespassing on private land because of police fears that there may be "disruption to the conference and disruption to the community".

(I think an assembly consitiutes two people or more)

According to the police the legislation has been used to "prevent serious public disorder, damage to property and serious disruption to the life of the community".

Update


BBC - "Stone Throwing" now reads "Children's safety"

16.03.2005 21:16

Fence around Breadsall Priory Hotel - bbc news pic
Fence around Breadsall Priory Hotel - bbc news pic

The headline half way through the article has now been changed well done.

But I am utterly shocked at the schools closing down! I've only heard about things like this in advance of things like Genoa, but not in this country.

Breadsall CE Primary School is infact on Moor Road - part of which will be closed by police for security for the Summit. Maybe this has more to do with the road closures and disruption of the summit being on their doorstep than baby eating anarchists? Although the head teacher is quoted saying she's worried about protestors including international protestors - god knows what the police told her!

it is worth contacting the media sometimes!


List of local news G8 coverage + some complaint letters

16.03.2005 21:47

All from 'This is derbyshire' website - note the printing of three letters - local newspapers are pretty good at least in providing a right to reply in the letters pages:


Bill for G8 is a waste
15 Mar : I read with growing amazement your article about the policing costs for the G8 Summit at Breadsall Priory.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=12036736&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

** G8 offence (complaint leter)
15 Mar : I take offence at your headline about anarchists (Evening Telegraph, March 4). I'm an anarchist and I am planning to come to the G8 summit for non-violent protest.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=12035535&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

** Pies and bicycles do not add up to chaos (two complaint letters)
11 Mar : I Am writing regarding the article "Protesters in city chaos pledge" (Evening Telegraph, March 4).

Summit: Act to be enforced
15 Mar : Police were last night awaiting Home Office permission to enforce the rarely used Public Order Act 1986 in advance of this week's G8 summit.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=12039499&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

Move to stop summit riots
14 Mar : A police request to ban any public processions in Derby between noon tomorrow and noon on Saturday has been backed by the city council.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=12030853&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

Police to visit villages affected by G8 summit
12 Mar : A Mobile police station is to visit villages affected by road closures caused by the G8 summit at Breadsall Priory on Thursday and Friday.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=12024763&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

High security for world conference
11 Mar : Protesters will be kept out of next week's G8 summit at Breadsall Priory by an 8ft steel fence.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=12017242&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

Policing summit could cost £2m
10 Mar : Policing at next week's international summit of high-profile politicians in Derbyshire is expected to cost about £2m.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=12010120&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

Policing summit could cost £2m
9 Mar : Policing at next week's international summit of high-profile politicians in Derbyshire is expected to cost about £2m.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=12005582&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

Protesters in city chaos pledge
4 Mar : Anarchists are planning to cause chaos in Derby later this month when a summit meeting of high profile politicians takes place.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124621&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124615&contentPK=11956361&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch

G8 summit will be held at hotel in county
8 Feb : World politicians will be descending on a Derbyshire hotel next month to take part in a G8 summit on the environment.
 http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124621&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124615&contentPK=11786835&moduleName=InternalSearch&keyword=g8&formname=sidebarsearch








info


Ring of Steel Article in Scotsman + PS syndication inc IC network

17.03.2005 07:52

'Ring of Steel' Round G8 Environment Summit
Thu 17 Mar 2005
2:43am (UK)
 http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4267639
By PA Reporters

Activists intent on bringing chaos to a G8 summit of environment ministers starting today have been warned that 1,000 police will form a “ring of steel” around the talks.

Officers from 23 UK forces will be on duty in Derby and surrounding villages as ministers from the eight leading industrial nations gather for the two-day conference.

The policing operation, which will cost over £1 million, is the biggest Derbyshire Police project since the miners’ strike of the mid-80s.

Environment Secretary and Derby South MP Margaret Beckett and International Development Secretary Hilary Benn are hosting the event at Breadsall Priory.

The impact of extreme weather on African communities and the environmental threats caused by illegal logging will be discussed at the summit, which is part of the UK’s presidency of the G8 group of industrialised countries.

Ministers will ask how rich, industrialised nations can reduce their consumption of illegally-logged timber, and improve monitoring procedures.

Sources say Britain could help ensure supplies come from properly-certified sources by encouraging public authorities to use only legal timber for building works.

Protesters hope to use the meeting as a warm-up for demonstrations at July’s main G8 summit in Scotland.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke has sanctioned council requests for bans on marches and demonstrations in the area.

Police have been granted powers to prevent trespassers from entering an exclusion zone surrounding the venue, and will deploy specialist “spotters” to identify known trouble-makers.

Double fences have been placed around the rural conference centre.

A planned march through Derby has been banned, but up to 3,000 demonstrators will be allowed to gather in the city’s Market Place.

Assistant Chief Constable Mick Creedon said: “If there are unlawful protests we are ready for them, but there is nothing at the moment that suggests there is going to be disorder in the city.”

A ban on marches was called for after the Dissent protest group asked supporters to walk through rural villages to the venue.

It is offering spoof prizes to anyone who hurls a pie at a G8 minister or plants a skull-and-crossbones flag in the 18th hole of Breadsall’s golf course.

Other groups had planned a peaceful Walk for Water to the conference centre, to raise awareness of scarce water supplies in parts of Africa.

Friends of the Earth spokeswoman Callie Lister said the organisation will instead send an oil barrel filled with bottles of water to the site.

She said: “We are disappointed not to be able to take our protest to the G8 ministers meeting itself, but we hope that our message will still get through.

“People in Africa need clean water, not oil. Climate change poses a major threat to development in Africa and yet the G8 nations are pumping development money into oil.”

Prime Minister Tony Blair has put climate change at the top of the agenda for the main annual summit when he will host George Bush, Vladimir Putin and fellow G8 leaders in Gleneagles, Scotland, from July 6 to 8.

As the links between droughts, floods and storms, and their impact on poor communities, particularly those in Africa, are better understood, it is hoped that aid projects will be better targeted in future.

A Government source said: “We want to ensure development policies are not just about throwing aid around. We want trade and investment to take account of climate change problems that are coming along in the years ahead.”

Violence erupted at the G8 summit held in Genoa in July 2001 when about 100,000 anti-globalisation activists descended on the Italian city.

One protester was shot dead by police and many others were injured.

Cars were set alight, shops and offices were vandalised and policemen were attacked during the protest.

Police had claimed they were responding to violent tactics of some extremists.

A police officer accused of shooting dead a protester was later cleared because he acted in self defence.

media watch